ANJEER

Description:

Habit & Habitat: Ficus carica is a broadly spreading small tree or shrub to 9 m and a width greater than or equal to the height. Ficus carica naturally grows in warm temperate or sub- tropical climates. It is mostly found growing amongst rocks, in woods and scrub on hot dry soils. It can also grow on river banks and creek lines and settlement sites in the warm lowlands. It prefers part sun to full sun. 

Leaves: Leaves alternate, simple, deciduous; 63.5 cm in diameter, but sometimes larger; palmately lobed with (usually) 5 finger-like lobes, dark green above and lighter green
below, petiole exudes a milky sap, somewhat scabrous, margins entire and wavy.

Flower: Flower either male and female or all female, not showy, green, fleshy and rounded,
the actual flowers minute, located on the inner surface of a hollow receptacle in axils of leaves on 1-yr wood (first crop) and current seasons wood as well (second crop)
consisting basically of an ovary and a single style.

Fruit: Fruit a synconium, edible, purple-brown, pear- or onion-shaped, and somewhat leathery when mature, pubescent, succulent, 2.5 -5cm, technically a multiple of tiny drupes;
produced in two distinct crops – an early crop that arises from old wood and a late summer crop that arises from new wood; delicious.

Important Fact: In their native habitat, figs are pollinated by a tiny gall wasp that entersthe flower cluster through a small opening in the apex. Each flower then produces a small
fruit containing seeds. Most cultivars of fig trees produce two crops, one in spring onprevious season’s growth, and another (main crop) in summer or fall on new wood.

Uses:
1) Food: Fruits can be eaten raw, dried, canned, or in other preserved forms. The
processed forms include pies, pudding, cakes, other bakery products, jams and
jellies. The fruit has high sugar content and fair source of vitamins A, B, and B2. Thefruit can be fermented to make alcoholic beverages.

2) Medicine: Figs are used medicinally for their mild laxative action, and are often usedin the preparation of laxative confections and syrups. It is believed that the laxative property resides in the saccharine juice of the fresh fruit, and in the indigestible seeds & skin of the dried fruit. Demulcent decoctions can be prepared from Figs in the treatment of catarrhal infections of the throat and nasal areas

3) Essential oils and perfumes: The seed oils can be used as a lubricant and the leaves have been used in making perfume providing a woody/musky scent.

4) Latex or rubber: The latex from the tree, after being dried & powdered, has been
used in tenderizing meats and also making cheeses.